By Kaylee Lucas 11E
A Saturday morning, waking sandwiched between a white wall. Barney blanket and my mother, all of us on a single bed in a room we shared with Boeta my uncle, her brother, but he feels like a big brother to me. Up, up and away we go.
The day is set, the plans are made. First order of duty; breakfast. Coco Pops eaten on the coffee table, on my special red chair while watching cartoons, the vivid images that capture my young mind.
Next up get dressed and off we go, just us me and my mom walking over the field to where the taxi would pick us up. Pentech, Pentech the different scents of the different people all crammed in this metal ox like sardines, I would never pay, send money to the front looking out the window, sitting on mommy’s lap, the people coming back from night shift.
Arriving at the taxi rank. Jump. There are people selling chocolates and chips on the pavement. Bellville, Kraaifontein, Eerste River, Kuilsriver. Ladies getting their hair braided. People selling weird looking herbs dried out and laid on newspaper. Hold my hand and stay close.
Hop in the next taxi. Kuilsriver please, driver. Hop. Hairdresser. End of the month relaxer. Vaseline around the edges, call me if it starts to burn, look up while I wash your hair, roll in, plastic coloured tubes all wrapped in my hair, sitting under this heat helmet. Ting! Out you go, seat booster, kleinkop, kloppie hare. Blow and GHD mommy’s pretty girl, next stop Mr. Video. One movie for you, one for me. Bring back on Monday. Fish shop around the corner, hake parcel, lots of vinegar. Taxi back home. Hop out. Don’t step in the sand. You get the movies, I’ll get the food. Under the blankets me and mommy. Swirl kous and smiles.
Comments